The flightcrew of a modern airliner operates in a multi-tasking environment with
several tasks competing for the same attentional resources at the same time. Too many
tasks vying for the crew's attention concurrently imposes a heavy workload on the
flightcrew. This results in the satisfactory execution of some tasks at the expense of
others. Consequently, flightcrews must manage cockpit tasks a process we call Cockpit
Task Management (CTM). Funk (1991) defines cockpit task management (CTM) as the
process flightcrews use to prioritize cockpit tasks, allocate required resources, initiate
and terminate multiple concurrent tasks.
Despite improvements in aircraft reliability and advancements in aircraft cockpit
automation, "pilot error" is cited as the main reason (over 60% of all aircraft accidents)
for planes still falling out of the skies. One of the objectives of this research was to
determine the significance of CTM errors in "pilot errors". Having established its
significance, the next step was to refine the existing error taxonomy of Chou & Funk
(1991). A structured error classification methodology was also developed for classifying
CTM errors and validated using 470 Aviation safety Reporting System (ASRS) airline
incident reports.
This study identified CTM errors as a significant component of "pilot errors"
accounting for 231 of the 470 incidents analyzed (49.2%). While Task Initiation errors
accounted for the largest of the general error categories (41.5%), it was the Task
Prioritization errors (35% of general and specific error categories) that unlocked the door
that led to error committals in the other error categories. Task Prioritization errors led to
Resource allocation errors which, in turn, resulted in several kinds of errors being
committed in the other categories.
The findings had implications that were largely training-based. In particular, the
importance of pilot education which CTM provides (as opposed to crew training that
CRM provides) is emphasized. The incorporation of formal CTM concept into existing
CRM training programs was advocated. In addition, a staggered scheduling mechanism
in crew training agenda involving CTM, CRM, Line-Oriented-Flight-Training (LOFT)
and simulator sessions was suggested. A recommendation was made for a
comprehensive Cockpit Task Management System (CTMS) to be installed in the cockpit
to help crews to prioritize tasks and remind them of the need to initiate, terminate or reprioritize
tasks as necessary. The inclusion of Air Traffic Control personnel in flightcrew
training sessions was also recommended. / Graduation date: 1994
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ORGSU/oai:ir.library.oregonstate.edu:1957/36121 |
| Date | 01 December 1993 |
| Creators | Madhavan, Devadasan |
| Contributors | Funk, Kenneth H. II |
| Source Sets | Oregon State University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis/Dissertation |
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